


Breathe, Keep Breathing (Don't Lose Your Nerve)

by StarsAlignedinMisery (orphan_account)



Series: They Tell Me You've Touched the Face of God [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Cats, Moving In Together, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Secrets, Threesome - M/M/M, Trigger Warnings, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, fireman Diego, if they say no it's rape, psychologist Klaus, read the tags, that body is a gift and he will use it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-02 09:31:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19196194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/StarsAlignedinMisery
Summary: Two years after the failed apocalypse Klaus, Ben, and Diego are finally moving in together. Allison is remarrying Patrick and things seem to be looking up for the Hargreeves siblings. Things start to take a turn for the worse as strange text start popping up on Klaus' phone, starting innocent and quickly moving into stalker territory. He knows he should tell Ben and Diego, knows they won't think him weak and useless for not being able to fight his own battles.Old habits are hard to break though and secrets are the hardest thing to say.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SUPRISE MY LOVELIES!!! I know you guys are almost at the goal I set and I'm really super proud of all of you who read the first part of this series a million times to get us where we are. The reason you got this sequel 77 view early is that I finished an original story that is super long and I needed to celebrate. So here you have the first chapter of 'Breathe, Keep Breathing'. I hope you enjoy the fluff while it lasts. 
> 
> Updates are going to be really slow for this story and all my other stories. I'm in a very demanding summer creative writing course and it's kicking my ass. I look at Microsoft Word and want to cry.

Klaus set the last of his boxes down in the main room of their new two-bedroom apartment. Diego had already moved in the weekend before but Klaus had been busy at the clinic and Ben had been out of town for a book signing.  Ben had moved his own stuff in over the week but Klaus hadn’t had the time and so he had been the last one to move into their new place. It was hard to believe they had been together for as long as they had been. The time had flown for Klaus, it had been bliss. He could definitely say this was the happiest he had ever been.

"I think this is the last of them." He said with a grin. Diego chuckled, low in his throat sending shivers down Klaus’ spine as he wrapped his arms around Klaus’ waist and pulled him flush with his bigger, more muscular body. Klaus leaned back into the embrace, tilting his head back onto Diego’s shoulder and exposing his neck. Diego took advantage of that and gave his Adam’s apple a nibble.

"You don't have much." He commented teasingly and Klaus looked at the ten boxes that he had brought in.

"We broke my bed frame three months into our relationship so I’ve been sleeping on a box spring and mattress that we decided we didn’t want and I already moved my dresser and most my clothes in when you got here last weekend." Klaus said deadpanned. He could feel Diego’s grin in the crook of his neck and couldn’t help the smile that formed on his own face. God, he loved his idiots. They both moved into the spacious kitchen, something that had been a requirement of Ben’s, where Ben was cooking an easy dinner. Diego and him shared a mischievous look and they both crowded into Ben's space, pressing kisses along each side of the Asian’s neck

"Unless you like burnt grilled cheese go do something else." Ben ordered, amusement coloring his voice. Diego grinned and pulled Klaus back into the living room

“How’s your clinic going?” Diego asked sitting on the couch and pulled Klaus into his lap. Klaus let out a soft noise, tucking his head into Diego’s shoulder. The larger man steadied his movement with a hand on the small of his back and one on his hip.

“Good. It’s different from working at a hospital. Most of my patients aren’t as severe.” Klaus said after several minutes of thought. Being forced to leave New Amsterdam had been a sore spot but Klaus understood their reasoning. He had been targeted because of his name and they were a public hospital. Klaus was just glad he hadn’t lost his medical license. Even with its differences he still enjoyed it. Maybe more so now that he could get back to his boyfriends at a reasonable time of night. Ghost, Ben’s cat, jumped on the couch and gave a loud huff. Klaus pulled back so that he could scratch her behind her ear.

“Looks like someone is hungry.” Klaus cooed. He climbed off Diego’s lap, giving the man a pat on the shoulder as he left, and pulled a can of cat food from the pantry. Cracking it open brought his other fur-baby out of the bedroom.

Totoro had been a gift from Diego and Ben to Klaus when he had gotten the notice that his job had been terminated. He had sunk down into a depression for a solid week before the two of them had brought him a little grey ball of fur that had cheered him up again. Klaus cut the brown, gelatinous cube of cat food in two before putting a half in each of the cats’ bowls and mushing it up so it was easier for them to eat. Totoro sat patiently for Klaus to give him his food while Ghost weaved around his legs crying pitifully. He set both dishes down and Totoro trotted up to his to eat.

“Dinner is ready.” Ben said and Klaus helped him carry the three plates over to their table.

“How was your day Diego?” Ben asked and Diego shrugged.

“I took my exam today. Won’t know if I made it for another few days but I’m feeling pretty good about it.” He said, a touch of a blush on his cheeks. Klaus grinned.

“Aw, next thing you know you’ll be saving kittens from trees.” Klaus teased and Diego shot him a weak glare. He had spent the last month getting ready to take the exam required to be a full-time firefighter. He’d been working as a volunteer for the past year but had only just decided to try and get a full-time job at the station when the chief told him he would have the job if he wanted it. It wasn’t being a cop but Klaus could see that it helped Diego feel like a hero, something he still felt obligated to be.

“Now, Klaus, you know they do more than that. They also help old ladies across the street.” Ben said and they both cracked into fitful giggles. Diego groaned.

“Shut up you two.” He huffed but there was a smile playing at his lips. Klaus’ phone buzzed and he twitched to go get it. Ben had a strict no phones at the dinner table rule and it drove Klaus nuts. When he had lived alone, he hadn’t worried about electronics at the table but Ben had a thing about wanting everyone to participate in the conversations, thus there was no electronics at the table. 

“Don’t.” Ben said sharply and Klaus rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Mom.” He muttered taking another bite of his sandwich. The rest of dinner was subdued and Klaus did the dishes quickly afterwards before grabbing his phone and checking it. He was hoping for a text from Mr. Farhi about a new set of rings. He had given the rings he’d had made for his family the day after the world was supposed to end. Diego had given his ring to Ben, Ben had given his ring to Klaus, and Klaus had given his ring to Diego. They had had to resize them but Klaus knew the other two still wore them. These new rings were going to go with the first so Diego was getting a copy of the ring that Klaus had, Klaus was getting a copy of the ring that Ben had and Ben was getting a copy of the ring Diego had. The text wasn’t from the jeweler though and Klaus looked at it confused for a moment before opening it.

**From Unknown [7:54pm]: You, my dear, are the place between heaven and hell. <3 ;)**

Klaus stared at the text before deleting it. It was probably nothing, a wrong number or a prank. He tucked his phone into his pocket and grabbed the first box of his things. He carried it into the spare bedroom and dropped it in the corner that had been given to him. Unpacking it he pulled out his art supplies. He had told Ben at first that a ghost did the art but the truth was he had often come back to his little apartment and not wanted or not been able to sleep. So instead he would paint, memories of his, photos he found online, his coworkers. Anything that made him feel less alone. The truth had come out shortly after they had started dating and Klaus was only slightly embarrassed when Diego teased him about the paintings he did.

“The invitation came!” Ben called and Klaus headed into the living room to peer over his shoulder at the embossed wedding invitation. Patrick had started over with Allison six months after Reginald’s death. Now almost two years after Reginald it looked like Allison was getting married to him again.

“I was wondering if it was going to arrive this week.” Klaus said with a grin. They were all a part of the wedding party; thus, they had known about the wedding almost as soon as Patrick had proposed again. Diego was going to be the one giving her away along with Luther, Ben was the ring bearer, Klaus was head bridesman, a term he had coined and everyone was using, and Vanya was a bridesmaid along with two models and another actress who were good friends with Allison. Five was busy with University but he had stated that he would plan the wedding so that the alcohol wasn’t crap and so he didn’t have to be in the wedding party. Klaus had wanted to discuss the teenager’s alcohol consumption but the first and only time he had tried to take a margarita from the fourteen-year-old he had nearly been bitten so he decided there were worse things Five could be drinking.

“Has she decided on a color for her dress?” Ben asked and Klaus sighed. Allison had gone through four different styles and three different colors so far and they had only been planning the wedding for a month.

“Last I knew she was going to be wearing a nice periwinkle blue. The bridesmaids are going to be wearing a mint green and us men are going to be wearing a forest green. Not that Diego or Luther have to, but their suits are going to be Armani as well. You should have seen the shopkeeper when Luther walked in. I thought he was going to faint.” Klaus said sniggering at the memory.

“I wanted to stab the one who did my suit. She definitely was way too grabby.” Diego said and Klaus rolled his eyes

“At least you know you’re still attractive. When I went to get my measurements done the woman had the gall to ask me when was the last time I ate.” Klaus said, a twisted frown shaping his face into something ugly and the other two flinched. Klaus was still borderline underweight; he just couldn’t seem to gain the last few pounds to being healthy. It didn’t help that Klaus forgot to eat unless someone made him. Ben usually showed up at the clinic every day at lunchtime and took him out to eat so that they knew he was eating three meals a day.

“Well, we’ll see, the wedding is in two months which is a pretty short engagement but I think since they’ve been married already it’s fine. I can’t wait to go cake testing with Ally. That’s going to be delicious.” Klaus said breaking the tension. Ben shook his head and set the invitation down on the counter.

“‘Shape of Water’ came today. Wanna make some popcorn and watch it?” He asked holding up the red Netflix envelope. Klaus nodded and moved to make the popcorn. He settled into the middle seat of the couch with Diego on his left and Ben on his right.

“If I see a single tear, I’m going to make you two sleep out here.” Diego warned playfully. Klaus snorted and popped several kernels of popcorn into his mouth.

There were tears shed.

Diego was the one to cry.


	2. A/N from a pissed off author

Hello everyone,  
I would like to say, I am working on chapter two, I'm just taking it slow so I don't kill a character with how pissed and frustrated I am.

Let me explain. Every day for the past two weeks, someone has been leaving nasty comments on the previous work in this series. Since I have moderation up, I've been filtering them out and leaving it at that, not a big deal, all anonymous, whatever.

Now the reason I'm addressing it here, in a very public and very open way is that they have now crossed a line. I will say right here and right now that I am very ashamed of whoever it is. Without going into too many details because I already deleted the comment and can't actually tell you word for word what they said I want to say two things.

1)I am a victim of rape so this story is going to be very hard for me to write. Klaus's situation with the abusive ex is a situation that I have been in before. Please, please do not say anything about how I write it because I am writing from experience and rape is a serious thing that is so under punished.

2) I am so not straight. I'm in fact asexual which makes writing sex scenes such a challenge so please stop telling me that I can't write proper gay sex scenes because I'm 'straight'. And if I wasn't asexual I doubt I would ever get in a relationship with a guy due to reason 1.

Now that I have addressed this and you can infer what the comment was about, please look for chapter two somewhere around the fourth or fifth. I've got a couple of busy days ahead of me so that's probably going to be the earliest I'm going to be able to get to it. Not to mention I've been sucked into the Good Omens fandom. To all of you who support me, thank you. To all of you who have been abused, you're not alone.

 

StarsAlignedinMisery

 

As of 7/1/2019 7:47pm est

I am no longer writing in this universe. This series will be orphaned so that you can still enjoy it but also that I can have peace of mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you all know, I've had this written since I announced I was going to write this sequel.


End file.
